Broody Hen Thread!

[Skink]

OK. I did the water candling. Confirmed that all were dead. I opened up all five eggs to find five fully formed chicks that never absorbed the yolk. So sad. What would cause the yolk to not absorb? It had been really hot here like 110 almost every day. I was wondering if that could have messed with things.

Sorry to hear that

If it was getting to be hot in the nesting box, that could be an issue. That kind of heat could kill a fully grown chicken, let alone a baby being smothered under an overheated hen. Too much heat during incubation causes weak embryos and late embryo death. Inadequate breeder diet for the hens who laid the eggs, poor egg storage, and shipped eggs also raise chances. I'm not sure if things like poor ventilation or humidity control would really apply to a broody, but they don't always get it right. For the whole hatch to have been a wash, though, I would blame the heat. It would take something dramatic to kill a whole clutch the same way.

 

[sex links]

 

[rexannastar]

We have a peep!

 

[16 paws]

We have a peep!

What a cutie.....

 

[S5apiotrowski]

We have our first broody hen! She's taken up residence in the flocks "favorite" nesting box - and is starting day 3 on a clutch of eggs. All are marked, so we can remove new additions now.

The eggs are due to hatch the week before we head on vacation- Normally, our hens have a huge amount of space to roam in - but their space will be restricted when we leave. I am wondering if I need to do something special for the yard/coops in anticipation of the babies. Do roosters help a hen raise chicks? Should I pen the rooster with the hen when we leave, or leave him with the other hens (we have other roosters that would love a chance to be flock masters!)

I'm excited for the broody, but sad I will miss watching her start raising the chicks.

 

[16 paws]

We have our first broody hen! She's taken up residence in the flocks "favorite" nesting box - and is starting day 3 on a clutch of eggs. All are marked, so we can remove new additions now.

The eggs are due to hatch the week before we head on vacation- Normally, our hens have a huge amount of space to roam in - but their space will be restricted when we leave. I am wondering if I need to do something special for the yard/coops in anticipation of the babies. Do roosters help a hen raise chicks? Should I pen the rooster with the hen when we leave, or leave him with the other hens (we have other roosters that would love a chance to be flock masters!)

I'm excited for the broody, but sad I will miss watching her start raising the chicks.

I always keep the broody mama and her chicks separate for a while because we have a lot of predators and if they happen to get away from mama and cant find their way back they are not going to survive. I really dont know your set-up so I dont know how to tell you to prepare for the newbies. Fresh water and food is number one....Let us know your set-up and we can offer some helpful advice.

 

[S5apiotrowski]

I always keep the broody mama and her chicks separate for a while because we have a lot of predators and if they happen to get away from mama and cant find their way back they are not going to survive. I really dont know your set-up so I dont know how to tell you to prepare for the newbies. Fresh water and food is number one....Let us know your set-up and we can offer some helpful advice.

We have several "coops" --

1) we have a large dog kennel 12' x 20' converted into a coop/run. There is a small chicken door allowing entrance to a large communal run in the woods. This communal run has welded wire fencing - chicks could easily get through, but the older birds (10 weeks) cannot. Currently our dominant rooster, seven layers, and 6-7 soon-to-be layers roost up there at night. The Broody used to roost in here. There are a couple nesting boxes, but they are not currently being used. We have a small part of this cage partitioned off with a small little coop with 2 Russian Orloff roosters. They stay contained because they will fly high and have been really aggressive and trying to mate with the young birds.

2) we have a 12' x 12' coop/run that also opens up into the same communal run. This has 4 nesting boxes and is where Ms Broody is currently residing. She is joined by 1 layer and 7 birds that are about 12 weeks old. There are 4 nesting boxes in this coop, and recently it has turned into the favorite nesting spot.

3) we have a small A-frame (6' x 8') that opens up into the communal run, but the communal run is partitioned behind the dog-kennel coop (1). We currently have a Barnvelder Rooster in there. He was previously with his brother - who is currently sick and currently in the "recovery" area. I know one option would be to move this rooster into coop (2) and then move the hen & her chicks to coop (3). Coop (3) is the most difficult to clean/maintain/resupply - so this is not my favorite option as we will have others checking up on the birds for us.

4) In a separate part of the yard we have a 6' x 25+' coop/covered run for little guineas. We currently have 14 young guineas in the coop (and 7 more soon to join them). This is fully enclosed. We a Barnvelder rooster recovering from a respiratory illness in with the guineas as well as a Jersey Giant hen recovering from a dog attack. I will likely return Ms Giant to kennel (1) when her egg holding period is up (even though I don't expect her to lay anytime soon) - The Rooster is "okay" - not nearly as red as his brother, but has been eating & drinking and getting stronger - he will live. I can keep him with the guineas, move him back with his brother, or potentially put him in coop (2) when we leave.

5) The "communal run" has a small coop on the ground that serves as a nesting box. We have a coop building project ongoing that will connect to the communal run and the dog kennel coop (1). This will not be complete in the next month :-( We've been side tracked with other projects.

6) I picked up a small unfinished coop (roughly 4' x 4') and elevated 2' off the ground. This is currently to the left of the communal run. We are working at putting up more welded wire fence, which would expand the communal run and this new coop would open into the new part of the communal run. We will maintain the ability to partition off this communal run to separate chickens. This new, unfinished coop does not have much area for a run. It is probably sufficient for baby chicks, but there is little space. I have the holiday weekend with my husband to work on things - I don't know how far we will get. We also have welded wire fencing to put around the entire yard. The communal runs open up into our yard/land, and we let our chickens free-range as much as possible. We do not give them full yard access when we are not around though - too many dogs! Once we get the fence, we will feel more secure with keeping dogs out (and hopefully deterring guineas from wondering off when we let them loose!)

-- As things currently are, I think the best places for momma and chicks are in the coop she is in (but is shared with others), or in coop (1) where the Russian Orloff roosters are. These are the MOST secure areas. Moving the Orloffs is hard. I could put ONE of them in coop (2) - but together they gang-rape the young hens.

I would love to sell some Roosters! I just don't know what "illness" has circulated through my flock and I don't want to sell/give away any birds right now. I recently lost a couple hens to illness and am awaiting necrospy results... Offloading roosters would make things easier for sure!

 

[alibabba]

OK. I did the water candling. Confirmed that all were dead. I opened up all five eggs to find five fully formed chicks that never absorbed the yolk. So sad. What would cause the yolk to not absorb? It had been really hot here like 110 almost every day. I was wondering if that could have messed with things.

Sorry to hear this too.

Hey, if she went broody and sat the whole time, that's good - If you want a broody hen.

Let her build herself back up, maybe she'll sit again in a few weeks.

 

[yyz0yyz0]

Today is day 21 for our eggs so I have some Broody hen questions:

1. what happens to the egg shells? will the mother eat them, leave them in the nest or throw them out of the nest like she did with a bad egg?

2. will the broody sit on the nest while they hatch or will she be off the nest to give them room?

3. I have a nipple waterer in the broody cage with the mom and the nest, if I lower the nipple waterer so the chicks can reach it will she show them how to use it and they'll just start off with the nipple waterer eliminating the need to put a regular waterer in for them and then teach them a nipple waterer later on?

thanks

 

[Blooie]

Today is day 21 for our eggs so I have some Broody hen questions:

1. what happens to the egg shells? will the mother eat them, leave them in the nest or throw them out of the nest like she did with a bad egg?

2. will the broody sit on the nest while they hatch or will she be off the nest to give them room?

3. I have a nipple waterer in the broody cage with the mom and the nest, if I lower the nipple waterer so the chicks can reach it will she show them how to use it and they'll just start off with the nipple waterer eliminating the need to put a regular waterer in for them and then teach them a nipple waterer later on?

thanks

I've had one hen go broody twice - our dear, sweet, Atillla the Hen - and both times were a bust. Got one roo out of 15 eggs the first time and none out of 9 the second. <sigh> So I'm ill prepared to answer your first question. I just removed the shell from the one egg that hatched, and took the other unhatched eggs away after water candling them and finding no life. As for your second question, again, with little concrete experience to go on, she sat tight to that nest during his hatching and for a couple of days after.

Now, your last question I can answer positively. YES!! I will never allow a traditional waterer on the premises again! The chicks learn very quickly where the water is and it's so much easier NOT to have to transition them later. What I would do, I think, rather than lower the waterer, is to put a short ramp or some such on one side of the bucket so the babies can reach. Mom doesn't have to crane her neck down to get a drink, but they can still get water. Good luck!